Lazy Days (15 page)

The child readily accepted her offering and gobbled
the food, apparently starving.

Since the milk canister was fastened to the
outside of the wagon, she couldn't give him any of Belle's milk from that
morning. Instead, she scooped some water in a tin.

While Walking Tall ate, she searched for one of
Tim's belts. Finding one, she approached the boy and whispered, "You're
very smart to dress in white man's clothing, but you need something to hold up
your pants.”

Walking Tall watched as Hallie pushed the belt
through the loops of his waistband while he continued to eat hungrily. Next,
she turned up the legs of his pants and then the sleeves of his shirt. She
whispered, "You're going to need a hat to hide your braids." She
reached for Tim's favorite hat that he wore only on special occasions and
planted it on the child's head. Leaning back, she observed, "Anyone seeing
you after dark will think you're a white child."

The child huffed, "I Indian brave."

Hallie smiled. "Of course you are. But to
escape, you must wear a disguise."

The child gave her a look that said he did not
understand her word. He reiterated what he had said earlier; "I go when night."

Hallie swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Yes, Walking Tall. And I will help you."

Hallie desperately wanted to wet a cloth and
wash the boy's dirt-streaked face, but decided it aided his disguise.

When she heard shouts outside the wagon, she
motioned for him to hide behind the trunk again and covered him with the
blanket. She sat on the trunk just as Tim lifted the back flap. "Ma, some
more soldiers just showed up and their talkin' to Captain Jones and the Lieutenant."

Hallie said, "Tim, help me down."

Cooper rounded the wagon and started unleashing
Sweet Pea. "I'm going to ride to the front and find out what's
happening."

Hallie nodded. When Tim started to climb inside
the wagon she asked, "What do you need, son?"

"I was just gonna grab a leftover
biscuit."

"That can wait. Run back to the Hankersons
and tell them Cooper is checking out the reason for our stopping. When you get
back, I'll have a biscuit for you."

Tim gave her a questioning look, but said,
"Sure, Ma," and took off running.

Quickly, Hallie opened the milk can, ladled some
milk into one of the cups hanging beside the water barrel, and climbed back
inside the wagon. Lifting the blanket she whispered, "Drink this and then
hide again."

The child downed the milk, creating a milk
mustache to go with his dirt streaks, and then ducked behind the trunk once
more.

Grabbing a couple of biscuits, Hallie sat on the
back of the wagon, dangling her feet over the edge and waiting for Tim and
Cooper to return. After a few minutes she heard the trot of a horse and then
Cooper rounded the wagon. "The commander of the fort sent word that most
of our escort is to return immediately. Seems there's an increase in braves to
the east and he's worried about a war. They need to secure the fort and protect
a new train just coming through. He thinks we're far enough west to be out of
danger. But just to be sure, Captain Jones wants us to continue without
stopping at noon."

Tim returned and hearing Cooper, glanced at his
Ma. "Do you want me to go tell the Hankersons?"

Cooper said, "Tim, you can ride with me and
we'll alert everyone." He reached down to grasp Tim under the arm and haul
him up behind him.

Tim grinned from the back of Cooper's horse and
waved to his mother.

Hallie sighed, relieved that they would be gone
for awhile.

Because of the threat of Indian trouble, Captain
Jones pushed the pioneers onward until dusk and they reached a campsite named
Register Cliff. The captain called a meeting with his leaders and the heads of
each family, and for that Hallie was glad. The more Cooper was away, the less
likely he would discover Walking Tall.

She searched their campsite. The sandstone cliff
and rock outcroppings presented the perfect cover for the boy to escape. Once he
reached the rocks, he could disappear into the night.

As soon as darkness blanketed the camp, Hallie
again sent Tim to the Hankersons; this time with the excuse of asking Emmett if
he had finished the other dime novel Cooper had lent him.

Tim gave her a curious look, but obeyed.
Quickly, Hallie entered her wagon and whispered, "Walking Tall, it's time
for your escape." The child tossed the blanket aside and jumped to his
feet. Studying the boy's happy expression, Hallie felt her heart expand. Any
doubts about what she was doing evaporated. Blinking back tears, she encircled
the tiny boy in a hug and said, "Soon you'll be back with your Ma and Pa
where you belong."

The child hesitated, sniffed, and then reached
his skinny arms around her waist in a return hug. In that instant, Tim flipped
the canvas back and sucked a breath.

Hallie pushed the child behind her and ordered,
"Tim, climb inside the wagon and don't make a sound." In the light
from their campfire, she watched her son gulp. "Hurry, son! We don't have
much time!"

Tim jumped into the wagon and Hallie whispered,
"Tim, this is Walking Tall; he's the boy the soldiers were holding in
their jail. We need to help him escape so he can return home. It wasn't right
for the soldiers to capture him."

Slowly, Tim nodded.

She continued, "I'm going to walk with him
to the boulders and I'm hoping anyone who sees us will just think I'm a mother
strolling with her child." Hallie reached for Tim's hat and set it on the boy's
head, stuffing his braids under it.

Tim's eyes rounded and he said, "Can I
trade hats with him?"

"No, honey. After Walking Tall leaves, people
might start asking why you're wearing your good hat all the time and we'd have
to lie, something we're not good at."

"Okay, Ma. But I got a better idea. After
you get him to the rocks, I'll sneak over and walk back with you. Then folks
won't wonder why you're coming back alone."

A sudden pride entered Hallie's heart at her
son's cleverness. "Yes. That's a great idea. Because it's dark, maybe the
difference in your sizes will be less noticeable than me returning by
myself." Inhaling deeply to fortify her courage, Hallie continued.
"We've got to hurry before Cooper returns."

Tim said, "I'll let you know when it's
clear." He jumped from the wagon.

Hallie turned to the boy. "Walking Tall, I
want you to know I will never forget you and I wish for peace between our
people."

The child, with wisdom shining in eyes beyond
his years, nodded his understanding.

Tim slipped his head back inside the flap.
"There's no one around right now."

Hallie said, "Okay, son. Keep watching."

While Tim hid behind their wagon, Hallie slipped
from it and whispered to Walking Tall, "As soon as I tell you, jump down
and hold my hand, and we'll walk toward the rocks. Do you understand?"

The child whispered, "Yes, Hal…Hal-lee."

Hallie walked to her fire, pretending to warm
herself, and waited until she felt it was safe to retrieve Walking Tall.
Slowly, she walked to the back of her wagon, lifted the canvas and whispered,
"Now."

The child jumped to the ground, slipped his hand
into her outstretched one, and walked with her toward the boulders. She said,
"We can't go too fast." Guiding him to the darkest stretch and with
her heart in her throat, she squeezed Walking Tall's hand to encourage him and
he returned her squeeze. In just a couple of minutes, though it seemed an
eternity, they reached the cover of the rocks. Darting behind them, Hallie said
through tears, "You're free, Walking Tall. Run like a deer back to your
family."

Hallie heard the child sniff as he released her
hand. He started to move away, then quickly turned and embraced her waist. He
said, "I love Hal-lee," before disappearing into the night.

Hallie swallowed several times, trying to remove
the lump in her throat. A few minutes later she heard Tim calling softly,
"Ma?"

"Over here, Tim."

Her son followed the direction of her voice and
when he reached her, she said, "Tim, I'm so proud of you. We did what was
right." Reaching for her boy, she pulled him into an embrace.

"I know, Ma." He hugged her back.

Because of the threat of Indian attack, Captain
Jones pressed the emigrants ever forward, foregoing a stop at Ayres Bridge, a
natural formation caused by the erosion of LaPrele Creek. Some of the emigrants
already knew about the popular campsite and requested that they make camp
there, but the captain’s decision to continue onward was respected with few
complaints. Every night, he called a meeting to reassure the pioneers that Fort
Casper would be reached in a few days.

A day away from their destination, everyone
sighed with relief. It looked like they had bypassed Indian hostilities and would
reach another safe haven without an encounter.

Alas, it was not to be.

While Hallie daydreamed about planting her first
crop, she heard a shout from Emmett as he galloped the length of the train.

"Halt your wagons. Indians ahead!"

Immediately, Cooper called, "Whoa!"
and stopped the oxen. He turned and ordered, "Tim, help your mother into
the wagon and both of you stay there until I tell you it's safe to come out!"

Tim grabbed his mother's hand and pulled her
toward the back of their schooner while Cooper unhitched Sweet Pea and mounted.
From inside the wagon, Hallie and Tim peeked around the flap. Because they were
close to the front of the train, they had a view of a band of Indians slowly
approaching on horseback. Hallie gasped when she recognized Walking Tall sitting
in front of a powerful brave. "Tim, there's Walking Tall. He made it
home." She blinked back tears of relief. "Son, I've got to go to the
front. Perhaps we can avoid a conflict if Walking Tall sees me."

"Ma, I'm going with you."

"No, son, I want you to stay safe."

"Ma, I'll not let you go alone. I'm the man
of the house now and if we're going to die, I want to die with you. I'm not a
coward."

Hallie recognized the stubborn set of her son's
jaw and pride filled her heart at his courage. She whispered, "We're not
going to die, Tim. Walking Tall surely wouldn't be with that brave if they
intended to harm us. Besides, we have land waiting for us in Oregon." Then
she smiled and grabbed his hand, knowing he would never stay behind. "Come
on, we'll face this together." Walking past the wagons in front of theirs,
the pioneers gasped.

Cooper, Captain Jones, and the other men sitting
atop their horses waiting for the approach of the Indians, heard the commotion
and jerked around. An incredulous expression crossed Cooper's face before he
rasped, "What the hell are you doing here? Get back to the wagon, pronto!"
He started to dismount.

Hallie lifted a hand. "No, Cooper. We know
what we're doing." Searching his eyes with her own, she said, "You
must trust us."

Cooper sank back into his saddle, his expression
registering the fact that he didn't know whether to drag them back to their
wagon or trust them.

Hallie looked beyond them to the Indians now
within yards of the wagon train's leaders. She made eye contact with Walking
Tall and then lifted her gaze to the brave encircling him within his muscular
arms. Walking Tall looked upward at the brave, said something, and then pointed
at Hallie and Tim. The brave almost smiled. In that instant Hallie knew the
emigrants would come to no harm.

Captain Jones, Cooper, and the other men turned their
heads back and forth between the Indians and Hallie and Tim. Suddenly, the
brave said loudly in broken English, "You go safe with blessing of Great
Spirit!" After speaking, he ruffled Walking Tall's hair, nodded to Hallie
and Tim, and turned his horse around. As they cantered away, followed by the other
braves, Walking Tall twisted his body to peek around his protector and give
Hallie and Tim a wave and big smile.

After a shocked silence, Captain Jones boomed,
"What in the name of heaven just happened?"

Hallie pulled on Tim's hand and started back
toward their wagon. Cooper trotted his horse in front of her and said,
"Not so fast." He glanced at Tim and dismounted. "Go back to the
wagon. I need to speak with your mother alone."

"Yes, sir."

Before Hallie knew what Cooper was about, he
lifted her side saddle onto the front of his horse and then mounted behind her.
Holding her within the protection of his arms, he flicked the reins and turned
his horse away from the wagons.

Hallie said breathlessly, "What are you
doing?"

"Getting an answer to one question."

"Wh-what question?"

"Did you help that boy escape?"

"Ah…well…"

"I thought so."

"You would have done the same thing,"
she accused.

Cooper laughed softly. "Perhaps." Then
he laughed loudly, "Sweetheart, you may have just saved the lives of
everyone on our train."

Hallie glanced sharply at him and then couldn't
turn away. Her mouth was only inches from his and her intent to kiss him must
have been reflected on her face because his laughing ceased and he halted Sweet
Pea. She was so close she could feel his chest vibrate when he spoke.
"Hallie, I'll not deny there's an attraction between us, but what you've
got in mind is not a good idea."

Ignoring his warning, she placed her lips on
his, enjoying the fact that there was no mud getting in the way.

For a second, Cooper remained perfectly still,
and then he moved his mouth gently over hers. Hallie melted against his body
and clutched the front of his duster. He lingered the kiss a few seconds and
then leaned back, but Hallie followed his movement. Lifting his arms to her
shoulders to gently push her back and break contact, he said, "I need to
get you back to your wagon. I don't think anyone saw us kiss because our backs
are to them, but still, I can imagine the wagging tongues of the Pittance group
just by me riding out with you."

Hallie willed herself not to cry at his
rejection.

By evening of the next day, they arrived at Fort
Casper.